Exam 3: NUR256 / NUR 256 (Latest 2026/ 2027
Update) Concepts of Mental Health Nursing
Guide| Questions & Answers| Grade A| 100%
Correct (Verified Solutions)- Galen
1. A client is a survivor of a gang-related shooting and suffers from PTSD. Which
of the following information should the nurse provide to the client about the
condition?
• A. The symptoms will likely resolve completely within a month.
• B. Marked physiological reactions to things that remind the client of the event are
common.
• C. It is best to avoid thinking about the traumatic event altogether.
• D. Physical symptoms are unrelated to the psychological state.
✅ Answer: B. Marked physiological reactions to things that remind the client of the
event are common.
- Rationale: In PTSD, reminders of the trauma (triggers) can provoke intense
physiological reactions like a rapid heartbeat or sweating. This is a core symptom of the
disorder.
2. A nurse is caring for a 6-year-old child who has PTSD. The parents are
concerned because the child has stopped playing with friends and continues to
draw pictures of themself as a "bad guy." Which of the following responses is
appropriate for the nurse to tell the parents?
• A. "This behavior is unusual and needs to be stopped immediately."
• B. "Your child is likely trying to get attention by acting this way."
• C. "This is part of the grieving process and a common response to trauma in
children."
• D. "You should take away the drawing supplies to discourage this behavior."
✅ Answer: C. "This is part of the grieving process and a common response to trauma in
children."
- Rationale: Unlike adults who may have flashbacks, children often re-enact the
traumatic event in their play or drawings as a way of processing the experience. This is a
key concept in understanding PTSD in the pediatric population.
, 3. A client was in an argument with their spouse. The spouse asked for a divorce
and suddenly the client could not hear anymore. Which of the following
conditions should the nurse identify the client is experiencing?
• A. Somatic Symptom Disorder
• B. Malingering
• C. Factitious Disorder
• D. Conversion Disorder
✅ Answer: D. Conversion Disorder
- Rationale: Conversion Disorder (now often called Functional Neurological Disorder)
involves the appearance of neurological symptoms (like blindness, paralysis, or
deafness) that are not explained by a neurological condition. Emotional conflicts or
stressors are unconsciously "converted" into a physical symptom.
4. A nurse is assessing a client with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). What is
the priority nursing intervention for this client?
• A. Exploring the details of the different personalities.
• B. Assessing for a history of self-harm and risk for suicide.
• C. Encouraging the client to suppress all alternate personalities.
• D. Teaching the family to ignore the client when they are in an alternate state.
✅ Answer: B. Assessing for a history of self-harm and risk for suicide.
- Rationale: Clients with DID often have a history of severe trauma and are at a high risk
for self-harm, self-mutilation, and suicide. Ensuring the client's physical safety is always
the highest priority.
5. What are the key concepts of Acute Stress Disorder (ASD)?
• A. Symptoms develop immediately after a traumatic event and the diagnosis is
made after a 3-day minimum, but must be made within one month of the
trauma.
• B. A gradual onset of anxiety symptoms over several months.
• C. The client experiences a sudden, unexpected travel and inability to recall their
identity.
• D. Symptoms are identical to schizophrenia but last for a shorter duration.
✅ Answer: A. Symptoms develop immediately after a traumatic event and the diagnosis
is made after a 3-day minimum, but must be made within one month of the trauma.
- Rationale: The key difference between ASD and PTSD is the timing. ASD is diagnosed
Update) Concepts of Mental Health Nursing
Guide| Questions & Answers| Grade A| 100%
Correct (Verified Solutions)- Galen
1. A client is a survivor of a gang-related shooting and suffers from PTSD. Which
of the following information should the nurse provide to the client about the
condition?
• A. The symptoms will likely resolve completely within a month.
• B. Marked physiological reactions to things that remind the client of the event are
common.
• C. It is best to avoid thinking about the traumatic event altogether.
• D. Physical symptoms are unrelated to the psychological state.
✅ Answer: B. Marked physiological reactions to things that remind the client of the
event are common.
- Rationale: In PTSD, reminders of the trauma (triggers) can provoke intense
physiological reactions like a rapid heartbeat or sweating. This is a core symptom of the
disorder.
2. A nurse is caring for a 6-year-old child who has PTSD. The parents are
concerned because the child has stopped playing with friends and continues to
draw pictures of themself as a "bad guy." Which of the following responses is
appropriate for the nurse to tell the parents?
• A. "This behavior is unusual and needs to be stopped immediately."
• B. "Your child is likely trying to get attention by acting this way."
• C. "This is part of the grieving process and a common response to trauma in
children."
• D. "You should take away the drawing supplies to discourage this behavior."
✅ Answer: C. "This is part of the grieving process and a common response to trauma in
children."
- Rationale: Unlike adults who may have flashbacks, children often re-enact the
traumatic event in their play or drawings as a way of processing the experience. This is a
key concept in understanding PTSD in the pediatric population.
, 3. A client was in an argument with their spouse. The spouse asked for a divorce
and suddenly the client could not hear anymore. Which of the following
conditions should the nurse identify the client is experiencing?
• A. Somatic Symptom Disorder
• B. Malingering
• C. Factitious Disorder
• D. Conversion Disorder
✅ Answer: D. Conversion Disorder
- Rationale: Conversion Disorder (now often called Functional Neurological Disorder)
involves the appearance of neurological symptoms (like blindness, paralysis, or
deafness) that are not explained by a neurological condition. Emotional conflicts or
stressors are unconsciously "converted" into a physical symptom.
4. A nurse is assessing a client with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). What is
the priority nursing intervention for this client?
• A. Exploring the details of the different personalities.
• B. Assessing for a history of self-harm and risk for suicide.
• C. Encouraging the client to suppress all alternate personalities.
• D. Teaching the family to ignore the client when they are in an alternate state.
✅ Answer: B. Assessing for a history of self-harm and risk for suicide.
- Rationale: Clients with DID often have a history of severe trauma and are at a high risk
for self-harm, self-mutilation, and suicide. Ensuring the client's physical safety is always
the highest priority.
5. What are the key concepts of Acute Stress Disorder (ASD)?
• A. Symptoms develop immediately after a traumatic event and the diagnosis is
made after a 3-day minimum, but must be made within one month of the
trauma.
• B. A gradual onset of anxiety symptoms over several months.
• C. The client experiences a sudden, unexpected travel and inability to recall their
identity.
• D. Symptoms are identical to schizophrenia but last for a shorter duration.
✅ Answer: A. Symptoms develop immediately after a traumatic event and the diagnosis
is made after a 3-day minimum, but must be made within one month of the trauma.
- Rationale: The key difference between ASD and PTSD is the timing. ASD is diagnosed
